With a streak of three defeats that must be broken at all costs to relaunch the team ahead of the final eleven league matches and the two-legged Coppa Italia semifinal, Milan and Conceição rallied around the squad yesterday.
A shock treatment, such as a punitive training retreat, might have been counterproductive at this moment for a group that stepped onto the pitch on Sunday already shaken by the hostile atmosphere at San Siro, with protests and whistles heard from the very first minutes. However, the Portuguese coach demands that, starting from Saturday in Lecce, everyone gives more than 100%, and with this in mind, he will field only those who provide guarantees in both phases of play. In the last three league defeats, the Rossoneri conceded two goals per match, due to lapses in concentration and a lack of willingness to sacrifice in defensive coverage.
The former Porto manager is ready to intervene, and compared to last Sunday, there will be at least four changes in the starting eleven at the Via del Mare. Besides the suspended Maignan and Pavlovic, Theo Hernández and Rafael Leao are also expected to be dropped. And perhaps they won’t be the only ones. The team needs energy, hunger, and aggression—even at the expense of technical quality.
AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Geoffrey Moncada
According to the management and the coach, the main issue is that the team has lost its composure due to negative results and the tense environment surrounding the club. Many players, as noted both at Milanello and in the club’s headquarters , are underperforming because of this. That’s why Ibrahimović and Moncada showed up at Milanello yesterday to make Maignan and his teammates feel the club’s support. RedBird’s advisor and the Rossoneri sporting director encouraged some players, exchanging a few words before and after the training session. Naturally, they also took stock of the situation with the coach. But it is up to Conceição to spark a reaction within the dressing room.
He expects to see a squad that enjoys playing football again, one that is not weighed down by pressure and anxiety over results. Because while the lineup—and perhaps even the tactics—will change at the Via del Mare (with trials starting today; yesterday’s session was split into two groups), the biggest shift must happen in the players’ mindset and their willingness to work for the team.
Milan players; no running? Then no playing
In other words: those who don’t run won’t play. Conceição insists that each player must sacrifice themselves to win back possession and apply pressure from the start of the opponent’s build-up. The data from the match against Lazio has been thoroughly analyzed, and Saturday’s choices will reflect that. Milan must turn things around against Lecce, no matter what. That’s why Theo Hernández will almost certainly be left out in favor of Jiménez, and why Leão could start on the bench, with Sottil taking his place or Chukwueze on the right and Pulisic on the opposite flank. And beyond that? Further decisions will depend on this week’s training sessions and the physical condition of those who haven’t been at their best lately—Pulisic, Giménez, and Fofana among them.
Six points from Lecce and the home match against Como are needed to head into the break with at least a bit more peace of mind. And they must be earned with effort and determination, two qualities Milan has only shown in flashes so far. Conceição now demands them.
Source: La Gazzetta dello Sport
